What Makes Sheep Lie Down
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
For he is our God; and WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF HIS PASTURE, AND THE SHEEP OF HIS HAND…
Psalm 95:6-7
In the Word of God, His people are called sheep. Jesus described us as “sheep without a shepherd”. It is important to understand the life and behaviour of sheep in order to lead them effectively. You must see yourself as a sheep in relation to God and in relation to your pastor. You must also see your church members as sheep in order to understand them better. In the twenty-third Psalm we see how David describes the life of a sheep from his own experience as a shepherd. This vivid description of “sheep life” comes from the mouth of an experienced Israelite shepherd who pictures himself as God’s own sheep.
Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!
He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most.
Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.
You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow!
Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.
Psalm 23:1-6 (The Living Bible)
I was excited to discover many similar parallels in the life of a sheep as revealed by a modern-day shepherd, W. Phillip Keller, who worked for eight years as a sheep owner and sheep rancher in British Columbia. He had the practical experience of shepherding in a modern context and gives amazing confirmation to the revelations of Psalm 23.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psalm 23:1-2
Sheep lie down only under certain circumstances. You must be able to make the sheep in your church lie down and stay with you. You must stabilize the frightened sheep and keep people in a family around you. From his experience as a shepherd, Phillip Keller shares a few things that will make the sheep lie down. Each one of the four points below reveals why some people cannot stay in a church. Tension with other members, fear, demonic attacks and lack of good food from the pulpit are all reasons why sheep do not settle down in churches. Phillip Keller says:
1. Sheep will lie down when they are free from fear: Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear. Sheep are so timid and easily panicked that even a stray jackrabbit suddenly bounding from behind a bush can stampede a whole flock. When one startled sheep runs in fright a dozen others will bolt with it in blind fear, not waiting to see what frightened them.
2. Sheep will lie down when there is no tension with others of their kind: Because of the social behaviour within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind.
3. Sheep will lie down when they are not tormented by flies or parasites: If tormented by flies or parasites sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax.
4. Sheep will lie down when they are free from hunger: Sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food. They must be free from hunger. To be at rest there must be a definite sense of freedom from fear, tension, aggravations and hunger.1
